Summer Outing to Kilmun

Members and friends of the LSO are travelling “doon the water” on Saturday 3rd June to Kilmun to visit the historic St Munn’s Church and play the famous water organ. There will be a recital at 3.30pm featuring some members and the resident Kilmun organist, Frank Barclay. We are travelling via ferry from Gourock over to Dunoon. If you wish to come along for a lovely day out please do come along. We are aiming to be at the church by 11am.

LSO MEMBERS TAKING PART ARE:

Ronan McQuade – Ronan has just finished his High School education in Blantyre. He is organist of St Joseph’s RC Church in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire. David Hamilton, Keyboard & Collaborative Piano Lecture of Strathclyde University, gives Ronan Lessons. Ronan has just passed his driving test! Ronan is the youngest member of the Lanarkshire Society of Organists. Ronan is an exceptionally gifted young man, who has an great ability to extemporise and improvise – we are hugely jealous!

Tom White – Tom is the Lanarkshire Society of Organist’s president. He is organist of the magnificent Cathcart Old Parish Church in Glasgow, home to a fabulous sounding Miller Pipe Organ. Tom has been organist in Wishaw, and various churches in Lothian for many years. Outside music Tom trained as a Mental Health Nurse and then worked in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply industries. Became a Reiki Master Teacher in 2003 and graduated from Edinburgh Napier University in 2009 Diploma in Human Givens Psychotherapy and studying to complete the HG Practitioner certificate.

Alan Mathew – Alan has been resident organist of Bellshill Central Parish Church for three years, previously serving two large churches in the South Side of Glasgow. Alan also studied (albeit briefly) with David Hamilton. He considered a full time career in music, but decided he didn’t like music that much! So, he works for the DWP and looks forward to quality music time usually at the console in church or with the choir. Alan is the treasurer and web-master of the LSO.

Anne Maguire – Anne is our wonderful secretary. It was her idea that initially drew us here for our Summer outing! Anne was organist and choir leader at the Old Parish Church in Lesmahagow for many years. Before fully withdrawing from that role she was part of a rota of organists for Lesmahagow and Coalburn Churches. Anne was a primary teacher before retiring. She spends her time organising her husband (and the LSO) and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Mary Smith – our longest serving member of the LSO on this trip today, is a very faithful and reliable deputy for many churches across Glasgow and Lanarkshire. Mary is a retired Minister’s wife and former teacher. Mary and her husband Stewart retired to East Kilbride, where they both play an active part in the Old Parish Church. Mary is a successful student of the Scottish Church Organist Training Scheme (SCOTS for short). Mary has served as President in previous sessions and has been for a number of years our Press Secretary, making sure our events are well advertised in the local newspapers, and represented us at the Scottish Federation of Organists.